Centralizer

ABSTRACT

A centralizer for firmly holding a drill steel on a track drill or similar drill rig by utilizing a latch mechanism that is easily operated to an open or closed position with access thereto in any position of the drilling machine.

ted States Patent Bey et al. [451 July 31, 1973 [54] CENTRALIZER 3,275,388 9/1966 zenergren 30s/3.9 mi A. 2. iggizz 5133i einem;; N223i/si Newport, N l-l. 03723; Robert E. Wolcott, Green Mountain Rd., ClaremOm, N-H 03743 Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-R. H. Lazarus [22] Filed' Dec' 22 1971 Attorney-E. Wallace Breisch et al. l [2l] Appl. No.: 211,026

[52] U.S. Cl. 30S/3.9 [57] ABSTRACT [5l] Int. Cl. Flc 31/00 0f Search A centralizer for a Stel on a track 8l/57l5. 57.18, 57-19. 57.20. 57-21; 269/86. drill or similar drill rig by utilizing a latch mechanism 239; 24/248 B, 263 DC, 249 DC, 249 DP that is easily operated to an open or closed position with access thereto in any position of the drilling ma- [56] References Cited chine- UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1944 Curtis 30S/3.9

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CENTRALIZER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Various types of centralizers have been utilized to maintain the operating extremity of a drill steel in a central position for collaring the drill hole. Clamping or collaring means maintained in position by bolts or heavy spring devices mounted in the collaring means have been commonly used, however, many of these devices are difficult to operate in various positions, and have a tendency to open undesirably under heavy drilling stress.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a new and novel latch type centralizer for a drill steel said centralizer having a collar formed of two arms, both being pivotally attached to a mounting means in a manner to be moved into position with each other to encircle the drill steel and firmly latched in such position by a novel latch hingedly secured to one arm and latched to the other arm by spring and bolt arrangement whereby said arms can be readily secured to each other and opened by manual means with little possibility of accidental opening in any operating position of the drilling apparatus.

Other provisions of this invention will be more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG, l is a plan view of the centralizer showing the latch attached to the collaring means;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the collaring means showing the latch in a closed position; and

FIG. 3 is a side view ofthe latch in a closed position.

DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. l there is shown a centralizer having two collaring arms 12 and 14 secured toa usual mounting means 16 by pivot bolts 18 and 20 respectively to be moved together about said pivot bolts 18 and 20 in a manner to close around a drill steel (not shown) at a replaceable support bearing 22. A latch means 24 is secured to the outer locking end of either one of the collaring arms l2 and 14 (shown in FIG. l as arm 14) by a pivot pin 26 passingthrough the locking end 28 thereof. The latch means as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 consists of a yoke 30 pivoted at its open end at pin 26 in the arm 14 and having clamp member 32 secured in a slot 34 in the closed end thereof` by a pivot pin 36. The clamp 32 has a pivot end 38 encircling pin 36 and extending outwardly therefrom in an elongated threaded bolt end 40. A locking spring 42 encircles the bolt end 40 between adjusting bolts 44 at the outer end thereof and a circular latch plate 46 encircling the bolt end 40 near the pivot end 38 thereof. The latch plate 46 has a tapered surface 50 on one side thereof so as to be able to slide over a locking lug 52 formed on the outer locking end 54 of the arm l2 and seat in a latch well 56 responsively to the biasing forces of locking spring 42. The biasing force of spring 42 is adjustable in accordance with the positioning of the bolts 44 on the bolt end 40 of the clamp 32.

OPERATION In operation, the mounting means 16 is secured in a well known manner to a drill rig (not shown) and the collaring arms 12 and 14 are pivoted about the pivot bolts 18 and 20 to a closed position together with a drill steel (not shown) passing through both halves of an ad- 5 justable support bearing 22 in a manner to firmly support and guide the drill steel. The yoke 30 of the latch means 24 is then pivoted about the locking end 28 of arm 14 to slidably pass over the locking end 54 of arm l2 to firmly secure the two locking ends 28 and 54 togetherwithin the yoke 30. The clamp member 32 is then moved about pivot pin 36 such that the latch plate 46 slides over the locking lug 52 and snaps into the latch well 56 to thereby firmly holdthe yoke 30 in its locked position with both locking ends 28 and 54 of the respective collaring arms l2 and 14 held together therewithin. The bolts 44 may be tightened such that the spring 42 is maintained seated in the latch well 56 with any desired biasing force necessary to keep the clamp member 32 in the locked position described.

To unlock the centralizer l0 the clamp member 32 is slidably moved outward around the locking lug 52 to release the yoke 30 which is then pivoted about the pivot pin 26 to release the locking ends 28 and 54 of the respective collaring arms l2 and 14 to open the centralizer l0.

Although l have shown and described in detail one embodiment of the invention, different embodiments may be had by variations in the hinging and clamping means without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A centralizer assembly ofa type adapted to be carried on an elongated boom of a rock drill assembly and utilized for maintaining a drill steel string in a relative operating position comprising: a pair of centralizer arms pivotally carried on a base; said centralizer arms being movable with respect to each other along an arcuate path; latching means pivotally supported at one end thereof by one of said centralizer arms to latch said centralizer arms in a position wherein at least portions of the adjacent faces of said arms are in engagement; lock means pivotally carried by said latching means at the other end thereof; and said lock means being rotatable about the pivot axis thereot` into biasingengagement with securing means carried by the other of said arms to maintain said engagement.

2. A centralizer assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein the respective pivot axes of said latching means and said locking means extend in a direction generally parallel to the pivot axes of said centralizer arms. j

3. A centralizer assembly as specified in claim l wherein said securing means depends laterally from said other of said arms and when said lock means is in said biasing engagement the biasing force thereof is directed along a line substantially normal with respect to the lateral extent of said securing means` 4. The centralizer assembly as specified in claim l further characterized in that said latching means includes a yoke member having one end portion thereof forming a portion of the pivot axis thereof on said one of said centralizer arms. 

1. A centralizer assembly of a type adapted to be carried on an elongated boom of a rock drill assembly and utilized for maintaining a drill steel string in a relative operating position comprising: a pair of centralizer arms pivotally carried on a base; said centralizer arms being movable with respect to each other along an arcuate path; latching means pivotally supported at one end thereof by one of said centralizer arms to latch said centralizer arms in a position wherein at least portions of the adjacent faces of said arms are in engagement; lock means pivotally carried by said latching means at the other end thereof; and said lock means being rotatable about the pivot axis thereof into biasing engagement with securing means carried by the other of said arms to maintain said engagement.
 2. A centralizer assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein the respective pivot axes of said latching means and said locking means extend in a direction generally parallel to the pivot axes of said centralizer arms.
 3. A centralizer assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein said securing means depends laterally from said other of said arms and when said lock means is in said biasing engagement the biasing force thereof is directed along a line substantially normal with respect to the lateral extent of said securing means.
 4. The centralizer assembly as specified in claim 1 further characterized in that said latching means includes a yoke member having one end portion thereof forming a portion of the pivot axis thereof on said one of said centralizer arms. 